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Biomedical subjects

J Valls

Publications and source records attributed to J Valls.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Neural and muscular electric activity in the cat's knee. Changes when the anterior cruciate ligament is transected.

We studied the response of the normal and unstable knee to passive motion and anterior tibial displacement in the cat. 6 cats were anesthetized and the deep level of anesthesia was controlled by electroencephalograms. We recorded electric activity in the articular nerves (posterior PAN and medial MAN) and periarticular muscles (quadriceps and hamstring), while performing passive flexion, extension, internal and external rotation. We then produced anterior displacement of the tibia at 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion, as in the Lachman and the anterior drawer maneuvers. The anterior cruciate ligament was surgically sectioned and the same series of passive displacements was performed. We observed statistically significant increased activity in the MAN, the PAN and the quadriceps muscle during knee flexion, in the MAN during extension, and in the PAN and hamstring during external rotation with the knee 90 degrees flexed. Anterior cruciate transection caused anterior displacement of the tibia during stress. This produced a significant increase in the MAN activity and a significant decrease in the hamstring electric activity at 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion, as in Lachman and anterior drawer maneuvers. We conclude that electric activity in the articular nerves and periarticular muscles, in response to passive motion and anterior tibial displacement, is altered in the cat's knee after anterior cruciate transection. This suggests that various patterns of periarticular muscle reaction in the anterior cruciate-deficient knee may be related to the unconscious perception of abnormal motion.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Neurogenic bladder in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We have performed a urodynamic study on 3 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), presenting with a neurogenic bladder. The first patient had an ascending myelitis of probable herpetic origin, the second patient had a cerebral abscess caused by Toxoplasma gondii, and the third patient had an AIDS dementia complex. The urodynamic study showed an areflexic detrusor in the first 2 patients, and a hyperreflexic detrusor in the third patient.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

[Measurement of vibratory threshold in the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy].

The usefulness of the quantitative measurement of vibration perception threshold (VPT) was assessed by a biothesiometer in the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in 36 patients with type I diabetes mellitus. The study included: a) clinical assessment (history and neurological examination); b) measurement of VPT at right metatarsus, right pretibial area and right metacarpus; c) electromiographical study (right peroneal, posterior tibial, right sural, right medial plantar); d) assessment of the autonomous nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic indexes); e) metabolic assessment (HbA1c at study and mean HbA1c in the previous year). The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy was 38%. VPT at metatarsal region in diabetic patients was higher than in controls (p < 0.05) and a positive correlation with evolution time of disease at metatarsal region (p < 0.05) and tibia (p < 0.05) was observed. Clinical symptoms and changes at examination correlated with VPT at metatarsus (p < 0.05) and tibia (p < 0.05). No relationship was observed between VPT and metabolic control. In conclusion, vibration threshold increases with evolution time in diabetes, but it was not influenced by metabolic control. Its measurement by a simple method, such as biothesiometer, could be useful in diagnosing peripheral neuropathy in clinically asymptomatic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in isolated facial paralysis. A prospective study].

Between the causes of facial paralysis, similar to Bell's palsy, recently are included those due to some families of spirochaeta (Borrelia burgdorferi) transmitted through tick-bite. These bacteria, besides de facial palsy, may produce several degrees of lymphocytic meningitis and subsequently the paralysis of the face, sometimes clumsy or recurrent. The treatment being the antibiotic drugs, never the corticoids. In the paper are explained prospectively the incidence of this disease in the AA's environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Ototoxicity of deferoxamine].

Deferoxamine or desferrioxamine (DFO) is a chelating agent, largely used in patients with chronic renal failure, although it has many side effects, being ototoxicity one of them. In this paper we studied the eventually adverse otologic effects of DFO in 20 patients receiving haemodialysis. A complete audiological evaluation, including pure-tone audiometry, brainstem auditory evoked potentials and high-frequency audiometry, was performed. The results showed a sensorineural hearing loss of retrocochlear origin in 3/20 cases (15%). We can accept that ototoxic effects of DFO are minimal, but no inexistent. Because of these we considered highly recommendable an accurate control of hearing in patients with renal disease receiving DFO.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Auditory evoked potentials in chronic alcoholism].

Prospective study of about 42 chronic alcoholics and evaluation, by means of auditory evoked potentials, of their auditive pathways. Checking of the damage at the outmost degree of the pathway, in alcoholic encephalopathy. Discussion and evaluation of the tracings.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pure sensory neuropathy in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: clinical, immunological, and electromyographic findings.

A pure sensory neuropathy caused by lymphocytic infiltration of the dorsal root ganglia has been reported in a few patients with Sjögren's syndrome. The clinical, immunological, and electromyographic findings of five patients with this type of neuropathy and primary Sjögren's syndrome were reviewed. Typical clinical indications were the presence of a chronic asymmetrical sensory deficit, initial disease in the hands with a predominant loss of the vibratory and joint position senses, and an association with Adie's pupil syndrome or trigeminal sensory neuropathy. The simultaneous impairment of the central and peripheral evoked cortical potentials suggested that there was a lesion of the neuronal cell body. The neuropathy preceded the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome in four patients. Four patients were positive for Ro antibodies, but systemic vasculitis or malignancy was not found after a mean follow up of six years. These findings indicate that in patients with a sensory neuropathy the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome has to be considered, even if the patient denies the presence of sicca symptoms, and that appropriate tests must be carried out.

Adie Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

On the analysis of microbiological processes by Monte Carlo simulation techniques.

The Barcelonagram is a Monte Carlo simulator recently designed in order to take account of the behaviour of living systems. In this paper we apply this technique to real bacterial growth in different and significant experimental conditions, namely (i) the growth of the Serratia marcescens in a minimal glucose-limited medium, (ii) the temperature effect on the anaerobic growth of the same strain, (iii) the growth of the Escherichia coli in a minimal medium and (iv) the normal specific growth rate of bacterial populations against the available substrate concentration. In the context of these different cases we discuss the diverse contributions of these simulated results to the understanding of the microbiological processes and the general reliability of the simulation considered as a third alternative besides both (and together with!) experience and mathematical modelling.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1989

Vagal neuropathy in chronic alcoholics: relation to ethanol consumption.

Vagal neuropathy in chronic alcoholics seems more common than supposed and its reversibility and relationship with alcohol intake and nutritional status remain obscure. We embarked upon a study of a series of 70 chronic alcoholics in whom reliable alcoholism history, nutritional status evaluation and cardiovascular reflex tests were performed at the beginning of abstinence. Moreover, an electrophysiological study of peripheral nerves was carried out. Five out of 70 patients had symptoms related to autonomic neuropathy. Fourteen alcoholics presented abnormal indices in the deep breathing test (DBT) performed, including the five patients with clinical manifestations. A strong correlation between DBT indices and total lifetime ethanol intake and motor conduction velocity of lower limbs (MCV) was observed. No gross evidence of malnutrition was detected in the alcoholics and the transketolase erythrocyte activity was normal in all but one. Since the MCV also correlated with total lifetime ethanol intake, it appears that ethanol may exercise a dose-related toxic effect on both the autonomic and peripheral nervous systems. Finally, 12 of 14 patients with abnormal DBT index were re-evaluated one year later. Eleven who reported complete ethanol abstinence presented an improvement of this index and nine of them reached the normal range. Three of four patients with clinical manifestations reported an improvement of the symptoms. Thus, vagal neuropathy may reverse in most of the patients who manage to maintain ethanol abstinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Orthodromic study of the sensory fibers innervating the fourth finger.

Fourth finger stimulation has been used to obtain the compound nerve action potential (CNAP) of the median and ulnar nerves by a single cutaneous bipolar recording electrode placed in some specific sites of the upper limb. In normal subjects, the response was a combination of both action potentials which could be seen as separated peaks only when the recording was made at midarm with the elbow flexed at 90 degrees. This finding is mainly attributed to the longitudinal sliding of nerves according to the joint movements. In patients with a carpal tunnel syndrome, there were a striking separation between the responses of both nerves in wrist recording. This finding allows this technique to be applied in the clinical inspection of median nerve entrapment at wrist, demonstrating graphically the delay on the median nerve action potential with regard to that of the ulnar nerve.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1987

Hemangioma of the rectum: CT appearance.

An 18-year-old man who had severe recurrent rectal bleeding and hematuria was found to have a diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectosigmoid. A computed tomographic (CT) study was indicated to evaluate tumor extension and therapeutic possibilities. CT scanning revealed a large mass with phleboliths throughout the true pelvis and nodular indentations in the rectosigmoid wall involving the dome and posterior wall of the bladder. A nonhomogeneous and subtle enhancement of the lesion was noticed after injection of contrast medium.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Neuronal antinuclear antibody (anti-Hu) in paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis simulating acute polyneuritis.

A patient with paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis (PEM) and small cell lung cancer had a clinical presentation of acute polyneuritis. The patient had an antibody (anti-Hu) restricted to nuclei of neurons identical to that reported in patients with subacute sensory neuronopathy and lung cancer. This finding further supports the hypothesis that PEM and subacute sensory neuronopathy are closely related disorders of autoimmune origin. PEM should be considered in patients with small cell lung cancer and clinical features limited to the peripheral nervous system.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗